Sam Rivers

December 27, 2011

I woke up this morning and read the news that Sam Rivers died. I loved Sam Rivers not just for his saxophone playing and composing but for the attitude with which he approached his music. Sam’s music was fearless and free. That’s how I want my music to sound. Fearless and Free. The track below from Sam’s brief stint with Miles Davis. It’s a recording of “So What” performed live in Tokyo. Many jazz musicians are quite familiar with this record. It’s the only the recording that I know of with Sam Rivers and Miles Davis together. I chose this recording because it was the first time I’d ever heard Sam Rivers play. It was my first year of college back in 1992 in New York. It was so exciting to me to hear someone play with such beautiful abandon on what was the highest profile gig that ANY jazz musician could have at the time. The drummer on the recording is a young Tony Williams. Tony was the one who knew Sam from the time they spent together on the Avant Garde Jazz scene in Boston in the early 60s and he got Sam the gig with Miles. You can tell Tony is really excited to play with him. Rest In Peace Mr. Rivers. Thank You for the music.